Action Plan for the Conservation of Coralligenous and other Calcareous Bio-concretions in the Mediterranean Sea

Overview

Within the framework of the Protocol concerning Specially Protected Areas and Biological Diversity (SPA/BD Protocol), the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention adopted a regional Action Plan for the conservation of coralligenous and other calcareous bioconcretions in the Mediterranean.

Although they are not legally binding instruments, Regional Action Plans are adopted by the Contracting Parties as strategic frameworks defining common priorities and actions to be implemented. They promote the regional cooperation and coordination necessary for the conservation and sustainable management of the species and habitats concerned. This approach has proven essential to ensure their coherent protection across the Mediterranean.

The Coralligenous Action Plan is structured in two sections:

a general section including, inter alia, the list of concerned habitats, the state of knowledge and related policies, main threats, assessment methods, as well as the vision, objectives and targets;
a second section mainly devoted to the short-term action plan, which is intended to be assessed and updated more frequently than the first section.

Habitats concerned

The Action Plan covers two types of benthic habitats:

Coralligenous: a typical Mediterranean underwater seascape notably comprising coralline algal frameworks that grow in dim light conditions and relatively calm waters.
Mediterranean rhodolith/maerl beds: sedimentary bottoms covered by free-living calcareous algae growing in dim light.

Surface bioconcretions are covered under the Regional Action Plan for the Conservation of Marine Vegetation in the Mediterranean Sea.

Mediterranean coralligenous assemblages

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Strategic orientation

The Action Plan is based on a long-term vision aiming, by 2050, to ensure the maintenance of the distribution, diversity, composition, structure and functions of coralligenous and other calcareous bioconcretions, so as to secure their long-term conservation in the Mediterranean.

This long-term vision relies on four strategic objectives:

To acquire sufficient scientific knowledge of these assemblages (spatial and bathymetric distribution, composition and structure, dynamics of key species etc.) to be able to act efficiently, adequately and effectively for their conservation and restoration.
To share knowledge and resources on assessment and monitoring methods and to contribute to overcoming difficulties in the national implementation of the Action Plan on coralligenous/maerl assemblages.
To reduce, prevent and manage the vulnerability of coralligenous and other calcareous bio-concretions to local and regional risks induced by human activities and natural events (close to strategic goals 3 of EcAp) in order to allow them to recover, function fully and maintain their resilience capacities.
Increase awareness and communication on the distribution and the importance of these habitats and develop communication actions for targeted audiences.

These objectives are supported by short- and medium-term priority actions.

Implementation

Implementation of the Action Plan is the responsibility of the national authorities of the Contracting Parties.

SPA/RAC ensures regional coordination, facilitates exchanges among countries, supports the development of technical guidance and contributes to capacity-building.

International organisations, NGOs, scientific institutions and laboratories may contribute to its implementation and, where appropriate, obtain the status of Action Plan Partner in accordance with the procedures adopted by the Contracting Parties.

List of the Regional Action Plan’ Partners

The list below has been approved by the Seventeenth Meeting of SPA/BD Focal Points, held in Istanbul from 20 to 22 May 2025.

OCEANA: Fundación Oceana – Oceana in Europe (Spain)
ISPRA: Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (Italy)
MedPAN: The Mediterranean network of Marine Protected Areas Managers (France)
WWF Mediterranean: World Wide Fund for Nature – Mediterranean (Italy)
WWF NA: World Wide Fund for Nature – North Africa (Tunisia)